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Scammers are everywhere, waiting to get rid of our cash, and they are attacking with their scams the monetary products that come with e-cards to gain advantages. An EBT is a card used for the government to gain advantages through those who qualify, and it is not immune to scammers.
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“Basically, an EBT card is very different from a debit card issued by a bank. It’s pre-loaded with a credit balance, which is then spent in-store or online,” said Daniel Holmes of Feedzai, which fights fraud and money crime.
“This means that the way in which the fraud manifests is actually quite similar to ‘traditional’ card fraud. However, the scams in today’s world are very sophisticated and will be tailored to reflect the specific scenario of the victim. This means if a fraudster is targeting an EBT card holder, the way in which they will aim to compromise their card details will reflect the victim’s personal situation. This increases overhead for the fraudster but drastically increases their chance of success and monetization.”
But what should EBT cardholders be on the lookout for when it comes to potential scams? Read on for five potential scenarios.
Phishing occurs when fraudsters try to “fish” for card data that will allow them to hack into your EBT funds. Scammers can also use this data to create fake EBT cards, known as cloning, and make purchases with stolen SNAP benefits.
“Since a maximum of EBT cards can be used to make online purchases, the attacker only wanted to download the card details, which he was able to do through various phishing attacks,” said Keatron Evans, senior security researcher at the Infosec Institute. . One of the strategies that has proven to be very effective is to send emails or text messages to patients stating that, through Covid assistance or some other government initiative, each and every EBT beneficiary will get a bonus of $300 added to your card by clicking this link and providing your card information.
“They claim that the budget will be added to the card balance within 48 hours, etc. The captive portal – i. e. , a fake online page – that the user is directed to when they click on the link simply asks the cardholder to verify their first and last name, address, card number, and PIN code. This data is captured through the online page’s app and sent to the attacker, who then uses it to buy things online.
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Scammers target those who are eligible for EBT benefits but are not yet enrolled, Holmes said.
“They use a formal-looking email to direct the victim to a fake website, which then asks for their knowledge. Scammers can then use this knowledge to apply for a card in the victim’s name, before spending the budget credited to the account.
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Fraud doesn’t just happen online. Victims may know their fraudsters personally, and this type of monetary deception dates back several years.
“It starts with the attacker approaching the victim, stating, ‘I will give you $100 cash if you purchase $120 worth of groceries with your EBT,’” Evans said. “This scam works when the holder of the EBT card is hard up for actual cash and needs the money.”
“The opposite form is also a very old and not unusual edition of EBT fraud, in which the real cardholder approaches Americans in retail grocery stores and gives them $120 in groceries for $100 in coins. The scammers simply They take advantage of the EBT holder, who is already in desperate need of the coins and is taking advantage of them. The problem, of course, is that the coins that the scammer gives to the EBT holder are fake coins and are not genuine.
No one needs to hear that there’s something with their EBT card. They’ll probably do what they can to get it. This is what happens in a scam with a compromised account.
“The visitor is contacted to inform them that their account has been compromised,” Holmes said. “To protect your accounts, the caller will take preventative measures; But before they can do so, they will have to verify the victim’s identity. To accomplish this, the victim provides the fraudster with their card number, and the fraudster has what they want to execute the expense.
Card skimmers can be placed at ATMs or at card readers in stores, and they are used to steal data from your card that can be used for unauthorized expenditures.
“These tricks borrow knowledge from people in the store when they checkout, which means it can be tricky for consumers to know how to do it themselves,” said Ray Walsh, virtual privacy expert at ProPrivacy.
“Generally speaking, card skimmers are more likely to have been installed at seamlessly available payment terminals, such as self-checkouts. This means it’s vital for consumers to think about what devices they’ll use and where.
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Kelly Merryman, president and chief operating officer of consumer cybersecurity company Aura, shared some tips for helping EBT cardholders with their information.
“Do not respond to text messages or phone calls similar to those on your EBT account,” he said. “Official channels will rarely contact you about your account by phone or text message and will never ask for sensitive data through those channels. Often, all official correspondence will be conducted by post or email.
“Don’t share your card or PIN with anyone and replace your PIN frequently,” Merryman said. “Official channels will never ask for your card number and you deserve not to disclose this information to anyone. Also, be sure to replace your PIN so that even if your account is hacked, the scammer possibly won’t be able to access it for long.
“Freeze your account between transactions. If you have to leave a balance on your card, freeze your account between transactions to protect it,” Merryman pleaded.
“Check card terminals for anomalies to prevent your card from being stolen,” he said. “Check card terminals for misalignments, broken security strips, or loose parts. Self-checkout terminals are also more likely to be affected by card skimmers than cashier lanes, thus avoiding self-checkouts.
“Check domain calls thoroughly and use only official sites,” Merryman said. “If you want to recertify your benefits, apply for benefits, or want help, use only official websites. Review the domain call for spelling errors. Also, check that the site starts with “https” to ensure it’s secure and ends with “gov. “
Josephine Nesbit contributed to this article.
This article originally published on GOBankingRates. com: Food Stamps: Five SNAP EBT Scams to Watch Out For